McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
Unit 4/Week 4
Title: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere1
Suggested Time: 5 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.5.1, RL.5.2, RL.5.3, RL.5.4, RL.5.7, RL.5.10; RF.5.3, RF.5.4; W.5.1,
W.5.2, W.5.4; SL.5.1; L.5.1, L.5.2, L.5.4
Teacher Instructions
Refer to the Introduction for further details.
Before Teaching
1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for
teachers, about the big ideas and key understanding that students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings
Knowing the importance of sacrificing and taking risks for freedom, a determined person can accomplish great things.
Synopsis
Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere warned the colonist of an advancing attack by the British army. Revere rode his horse
through the night warning every village and town. The colonists, prepared by Revere's warning, defeated the British forces.
1
This story is a “duplicate.” (It is found in other basals, as well.) This particular revision was completed by a teacher who uses a different basal, so
the page numbers have been removed. This may require you to make some adjustments/add page numbers to some of the questions.
1
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
2. Read entire main selection text, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
3. Re-read the main selection text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Vocabulary.
During Teaching
1. Students read the entire main selection text independently.
2. Teacher reads the main selection text aloud with students following along. (Depending on how complex the text is and the
amount of support needed by students, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.)
3. Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions and returning to the text. A variety
of methods can be used to structure the reading and discussion (i.e.: whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent
written response, group work, etc.)
Text Dependent Questions
Text Dependent Questions
What is the poem's setting? Which phrase from the poem is a
clue that the setting is the Revolutionary War?
According to the poem, why did Paul Revere ask his friend to
hang a lantern in the belfry arch of the Old Church? What are
they preparing for?
In the second stanza it states, "One by land, and two, if by sea;"
what is he talking about?
Why does the poet say that Paul Revere is waiting on the
opposite side of the shore?
Reread stanza 3. Why did Paul Revere row quietly across the
water?
Answers
The events take place on the night of April 18, 1775.
"Chasing the red coats down the lane." or the British marching
or the British man-of war lurking in the darkness.
The lantern would be used to give signals to Paul Revere if the
British march by land or by sea.
They are preparing for the attack of the British army.
One lantern means the British is coming by land, two lanterns
means they are coming by sea.
He is ready to spread the alarm to every Middlesex village and
farm to arm themselves to prepare for a fight with the British.
Paul Revere did not want to be heard. Because if he was heard
he was in danger of being caught or killed and his plan to warn
2
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
the villagers and farmers would have been ruined.
In the stanza it reads, "A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!"
Using context clues, what does glimmer mean?
Reread stanzas 3, 5, and 6. What language does the author use
to make these stanzas suspenseful?
The poem states, "A moment only he feels the spell, of the
place and hour, the secret dread, Of the lonely belfry and the
dead." What does he mean by the secret dread, of the lonely
belfry and the dead?
The poet writes about a spark from the horse's hooves. He says
the spark "kindled the land into flames with its heat," what is
the author referring to?
In the stanza it states, "The fate of a nation was riding that
night; and the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
kindled the land into flame with its heat." Using your context
clues, what does fate mean? Using the text, describe Paul
Revere's ride to warn the people.
What clues does the author give you about how much time has
passed during the ride?
In the last stanza it states, "The people will waken and listen to
Glimmer means a faint, unsteady light.
The language varies from personification, rhyme and rhythm.
(Students should point to specific details from the poem.)He
may have most likely thought, what will happen and how many
men will die when the British march. Suddenly all of his
thoughts were bent on a shadowy something far away.
The poet is most likely referring to the growing need of the
colonists for freedom. Without the colonists being warned and
being successful in this battle, the British may have squelched
the rebellion and the war may have been over before it began.
Because they fought and were successful, it helped to
encourage the rebellion and continue the fight for freedom.
What will become (or happen to) of Middlesex villages and
farms.
Answers may vary.."He has left the village and mounted the
steep, and beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep. Is the
Mystic, meeting the ocean tides; And under the al that shirt its
edge, Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge, is heard
the tramp of his steed as he rides";"It was one by the village
clock, when he galloped into Lexington"; " It was two by the
village clock, when he came to the bridge in Concord town."
So through the night rode Paul Revere, and so through the
night went his cry of alarm to every Middlesex village and farm.
(Paraphrased) It lasts through the night, until Paul Revere has
spread his message through every village in the colony.
The author lets you know that Paul Revere succeeded in getting
3
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
hear the hurrying hoof-beats of that steed, and the midnight
message of Paul Revere." Why did the author end the story like
this?
Grade 5
the message to the colonists so they can prepare for the attack
of the British soldiers.
4
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
Vocabulary
STUDENTS FIGURE OUT THE MEANING
sufficient context clues are provided in
the text
TEACHER PROVIDES DEFINITION
not enough contextual clues provided in
the text
KEY WORDS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING
WORDS WORTH KNOWING
General teaching suggestions are provided in the Introduction
British Soldiers
Revolutionary War
Old North Church
Tranquil
Weathercock
Musket-ball
Bleating
Magnified
Somber
Lingers
Steed
Fearless
Glimmer
Fate
5
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
Culminating Task

Paul Revere was a rebel who was determined to save the colonists' lives. Using the details from the poem, describe the risks Paul
Revere took to protect the colonists from the attack by the British army. If Paul Revere was not determined to save the colonists
by taking risks for freedom, what would it would be like today?
Answer: Paul Revere and his friend made a plan to alarm the colonist that the British were coming. As his friend checked on
the British, he noticed that they began to march. He climbed the tower as Paul awaited across the Charlestown shore for a
signal if they were coming by land or sea. Two lanterns hung let Paul know the British were coming by sea. Paul alarmed all of
the Middlesex villages and farms yelling a message that the British are coming. At the end, Paul's message was heard by the
colonists and they prepared for the attack that defeated the British Army. This event reminds me that we would not have the
freedoms we enjoy today if this historic event had not taken place.
Additional Tasks

Assign students to write a journal entry summarizing the facts of where did Paul Revere go first, next, and last. Instruct to omit
unnecessary details. Use text structure and sequence of events to help.
Answers may vary...Paul Revere's ride took place on April 18,1775. His friend wanders around town, checking on the British.
He hears the British beginning to march and then climbs the tower. Signal lights were hung in the Old Church. Paul Revere
waited on the Charlestown shore for the signal. Two lights were the signal that the British were coming by sea. Paul Revere
rode effortlessly all night throughout each village warning the colonists to prepare for the attack of the British army.
6
McGraw-Hill

Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
Re-read and then compare the first and last stanza of the poem.
Answer: In the beginning, the poem starts saying, "Listen my children, and you shall hear the midnight ride of Paul Revere"
and it ends saying, " In the darkest hour of darkness and peril and need, the people will waken and listen to hear the hurrying
hoof-beats of that steed, and the midnight message of Paul Revere." Comparing these stanzas, the author provides specific
details from the start his journey to alert the people that they are about to be evaded by the British and to accomplish the
goal of alerting the people of the villages to seek safety.

Assign various stanzas to students. The students will re-read and rehearse their lines and perform a dramatic reading in front of
an audience of peers.
Note to Teacher

Discuss the Revolutionary War during and after reading (when needed) addressing how high the stakes were for Paul Revere and
the colonists.
7
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Name _____________________________________________
Grade 5
Date ________________
“The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”
1. What is the poem's setting? Which phrase from the poem is a clue that the setting is the
Revolutionary War?
2. According to the poem, why did Paul Revere ask his friend to hang a lantern in the belfry
arch of the Old Church? What are they preparing for?
3. In the second stanza it states, "One by land, and two, if by sea;" what is he talking about?
4. Why does the poet say that Paul Revere is waiting on the opposite side of the shore?
5. Reread stanza 3. Why did Paul Revere row quietly across the water?
8
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
6. In the stanza it reads, "A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!" Using context clues, what
does glimmer mean? Reread stanzas 3, 5, and 6. What language does the author use to
make these stanzas suspenseful?
7. The poem states, "A moment only he feels the spell, of the place and hour, the secret
dread, Of the lonely belfry and the dead." What does he mean by the secret dread, of the
lonely belfry and the dead?
8. The poet writes about a spark from the horse's hooves. He says the spark "kindled the land
into flames with its heat," what is the author referring to?
9. In the stanza it states, "The fate of a nation was riding that night; and the spark struck out
by that steed, in his flight, kindled the land into flame with its heat." Using your context
clues, what does fate mean? Using the text, describe Paul Revere's ride to warn the people.
10. What clues does the author give you about how much time has passed during the ride?
9
McGraw-Hill
Open Court - 2002
Grade 5
11. In the last stanza it states, "The people will waken and listen to hear the hurrying hoof-beats
of that steed, and the midnight message of Paul Revere." Why did the author end the story
like this?
10